Federer Defeats Zverev to Make Second Week at SW19

Another second week at Wimbledon for Roger Federer awaits as he saw off 28th seed Mischa Zverev 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 49 minutes.

An excellent performance from the Swiss, who had a virtually flawless serving day, winning 83 percent of his first-serve points and firing 61 winners to make the second week at Wimbledon for the 15th time.

Quick Match Recap

Zverev won the toss and elected to receive. Roger lost the first point but recovered to hold to 15. Zverev then held to 30, but in game 4 he was broken to 15 after he left a return that dropped in.

Roger consolidated to love for 4-1 and looked to be playing well, but Zverev dug his heels in, breaking back thanks to a Federer forehand shank and he was able to level at 4-4.

The German was now fully in the groove on his serve, and after rattling through his next service game, he held a break point for 6-5. Fortunately, Roger snuffed it out with an ace to hold before Zverev held to force a tiebreak.

Into the breaker and Fed was the man to get in front, going up a mini break for 2-0 which he was able to retain throughout the breaker before breaking again to take it 7-3.

After going five against Kukushkin, Zverev surely needed the first set so losing it was bound to be demoralising. That showed as Roger was able to take charge, breaking early for 2-1 (check the drive volley backhand in this game) and rolling through his service games his next 4 service games to take it 6-4.

Set three was more of the same and after Zverev double-faulted on break point in game three, Fed was virtually home and hosed as he continued to roll through his service games to maintain the break and take it 6-4.

Match Stats

Match Statistics

M. Zverev

R. Federer

Aces

6

13

Double Faults

4

1

First Serve % In

63/102 (62%)

53/88 (60%)

Win % On 1st Serve

45/63 (71%)

44/53 (83%)

Win % On 2nd Serve

20/39 (51%)

25/35 (71%)

Net Points Won

32/58 (55%)

25/34 (74%)

Break Points Won

1/2 (50%)

3/6 (50%)

Receiving Points Won

19/88 (22%)

37/102 (36%)

Winners

20

61

Unforced Errors

9

7

Total Points Won

84

106

Distance Covered (Ft)

5953

4729.3

Distance Covered/pt. (Ft)

31.3

24.9

SABR

0

0

Interview

Thoughts on the Match

Good win for Roger here and the Swiss was able to win through without any real difficulty. Zverev certainly had his moments with some stylish points and nice pickups, but he was never in the lead, and although he was competitive over the three sets, it always felt like Roger had him at arm's length.

The first set was obviously the closest where Roger let his lead slip, and Zverev was able to land 74% of his first serves to keep it tight, but once again the Swiss played a solid tiebreak when he needed it to get the lead. After that, it was all about keeping his nose front, and he was able to win the next two sets without facing a break point; firing 39 winners (61 for the match) to make the second week without dropping a set.

As for Zverev, he played fairly well. Competed hard, hit some great volleys but never really made an impact on the return. For me, he was a bit of a sitting duck on the return for someone of Fed's serving pedigree. Too deep to ever get on the offence and it just gave Roger too much time and put the outcome of every point on his racquet. Couple that with the fact Fed was really finding his spots on serve then it's not a recipe for success.

Predictions vs. Dimitrov

Next up is Dimitrov who was two sets up on Sela when the Israeli retired. Grigor has had a cakewalk draw so far and hasn't been tested, so it's tough to say what sort of form he's in. So all you can go on is that he's had an ok grass court season, hasn't dropped a set in his three matches and has all the tools required to do well on this surface.

So does he have a shot vs. Fed? I think so, but he's still a bit too hot and cold. Plays some stunning points but putting it together for an entire match isn't his forte and you always feel like he'll throw in one or two bad games at the worst possible times. So I make Fed the favourite heading in, but I don't think you can rule out the upset. Either way I'm looking forward to it and hopefully Fed keeps that focus we saw today on serve to get himself over the line.

What is your prediction for Manic Monday? Let me know in the comments.

Federer vs. M. Zverev Wimbledon 2017 Rating

Serving

Returning

Net Play

Winner to Unforced Error Ratio

Break Point Conversion

NICE

Another solid performance here, looking a little better each round. Not full flight but serving well and getting the job done out there which is all that matters.

Huge fan of Roger Federer - I'll pretty much try and watch all his matches from Grand Slam level right down to ATP 250. When I'm not watching or tweeting about tennis I play regularly myself and use this blog to share my thoughts on Fed and tennis in general.

Yeah, all their matches I’ve had the chance to watch were very entertaining. Mischa’s game is clearly 90% serve & volley and Feds has all the tools in his box to handle this: either blast balls right into the body, passing shots, lobs, the difficulty being picking one on the fly…
I’ve notice that on some backcourt rallies Feds would every now and then send a ball not to Mischa’s open court but just in his direction to catch him on his wrong foot as he was starting to rush to cover the exposed side. Lightning fast tactic, brilliant in its simplicity.

Yeah they are good to watch. Although Zverev gives very little in the way of angles, plays in straight lines from the ground and on the approach. That’s why he is quite tricky. Caused Murray a lot of problems in Australia for that reason.

I am glad that Roger seems to be getting over his cold which should help him to get to 100% by Monday. On top of that, with rain in the forecast, and Federer scheduled to play on Centre Court (with the roof), you can’t ask for better than that.

After having to play all of his matches pretty much late and last or next to last, he’ll have a chance to finish on schedule and potentially move into the quarters.

That being said, Dimitrov can’t be underestimated.

He had a good start to the year, lost to Nadal in 5. Then he went away, until he lost his 1st round in Stuttgart and then made the semis in Queens.

He’s had an easy draw, so if Roger is at 100% and continues with his serving, he should get through in 4 sets. Dimitrov doesn’t have a great 2nd serve and if Roger takes care if his own serve, he should get plenty of looks.

Let’s see what happens. I was a bit worried with Roger’s play – as if he is struggling with something despite the straight ser wins. So I was glad to find that he’s been fighting a cold. That explains the early rounds troubles (even though he hasn’t dropped a set). So if he is truly close to 100%, we should fancy his chances.

I’m interested in seeing him beat Dimitrov but also in the manner in which he does it.

Also, Nadal is playing with Muller on Court 1 (with rain in the forecast), so kinda looking to how that will play out!?

Vily:
I have been thinking about that also. I dont say that Roger has played bad but he hasnt been that racorsharp either and missed some easy shots that he can do against “bad players” but not as he advances. Bad player haha, that what we called top 30-40 in the world….Those playes is incredible good but against Roger, Rafa and Novak then there´s a differnt.
But again, If he serves well then he is hard to stop, but he needs about 65% 1st serves in I believe so he dont have to work with the breakballs against him, Yesterday Misha had 2 and took one of them, and against a better opponent federer maby wont be able to break back.

Sadly Andy won yesterday, I think that that match should have had a 5 set because Fognini played good!

Fed also had a cold at the AO so I am not too concerned. Does anyone know what time his match is on Mon? I really want him to get different time slots. That always helps with the final (KOW) being at 2 pm.

Thanks again Jonathan. Good win indeed, though the 1st set was a bit tense (his dad was not impressed at the end of the 1st set 🙂 ; Robert looked very nervous and I bet will give Roger a telling off once in their compound 🙂 ). It was kind of obvious that Roger had another gear but he simply chose to do it in a relaxed manner.
On the next one, an upset? not a chance! Roger will do it in three. We all known that Grigor is an excellent player but at Wimbledon he could get one set maximum from Roger. Three down four to go.
Allez Rog!

I wasn’t at ALL impressed with the first set: I thought Roger was pretty poor by his standards, and his (CC?) BH was very off. I wondered what on earth was the matter with him, then remembered he had a cold – I got the impression his head was stuffed full of cotton wool.

Agreed. I was thinking the same. The backhand is no where near where it was at the beginning of the year. I think the return and backhand definitely need to go up a notch. Currently isn’t going to cut it. Nadals looking like a beast currently.

I think despite the fact that both Roger and Rafa have very tough draws moving forward and Murray and Djokovic seem to have easier draws, I think that that both Nadal and Federer will make the final.

I think that Roger will beat Dimitrov in 4 sets. Nadal will beat Muller in 4 also. Murray and Djokovic will win in straights.

Then, in the quarters probably Roger will take care of Zverev while Nadal will survive the Cilic serve and prevail in that also.

Finally, Nadal will chew Murray for breakfast while Roger will beat Novak in 4 sets.

That would set up an epic Final. As of now, I think that Roger will win it in 4 or 5 sets. But of course this is all hypothetical at this point but so far Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have looked very good. Murray is behind them and Cilic is right there also. I would be shocked (pleasantly) if Cilic somehow beats Nadal. Muller beating Rafa would be insane but I highly doubt it.

Also, Roger beating Dimitrov is not 100% sealed. Roger has to be feeling 100% in order to put him away. You can’t be messing around too much with him. Put him away quickly if you can.

Good win, Roger is playing well enough to get a W. Serve bailed him out a few times but he was in control of the match. I am a bit surprise on the low UE count, showed he played a very good tactical game. The entire camp looks worried, Seve and Ivan have to give Roger another pep talk. Hope he is feeling better.

Very true, he has mixed very good performance with “okay” ones and he has been very close to lose some thght matches but on the other hand, when he was at his best he did won those close matches just like Novak always have been doing for the last couple of years. I hope he doesnt start with that again but sadly he looks to be in good shapa again…

I watched the match. The surface is deteriorating…fast. I couldn’t believe what I was saying. At this rate the grass will be all but gone by next weekend. I might be getting too far ahead but if Fed makes it to the Semi and Final, he will have to find ways to end points quickly. Not sure he can survive extended rallies against either Djokovic or Nadal. But then again, he is the GOAT! 🙂

I caught some highlights and thought the same. The courts looks horrible. I’d be very surprised next weekend if there will be any green left. What an embarrassment. I just have a feeling that Fed is really troubled by this and struggled to put the frustration behind him.

Absolutely. I think that Fed is really disappointed by the quality of the court. Like the first matches, I haven’t seen him to be really motivated or happy, but rather as annoyed and frustrated. Maybe it’s just my illusion. The quality of the court is shameful for Wimbledon. Should even call it a grass court? Doesn’t look like one, and doesn’t act like one…

Am I the only one who thought that Roger’s behavior suggested he was treating this match as an annoyance? I don’t know, sure, there is always a calmness to him, but I felt like his mind was somewhere else.

A. The cold he’s fighting.
B. The realization that SW19 is now Roland Garros with a little hair.
C.The fear he won’t find the magic he thought he had before the clay break.
D. Distracted by how much Misha Zverev looks like Joaquin Phoenix.
E. All of the above

Yes, he was annoyed. I think it’s because the court disappointed him. I am pretty sure he (and we all) would like to expect a nice grass court which deteriorates slowly and has a fast play combined with low bouncing balls.
I won’t hide the fact that Wimbledon has really made me unhappy about the courts. We shouldn’t see low-quality courts for such an unique grand slam.

I will join this conversation… that’s true.. maybe his cold catch up to him, i can’t feel the determination to win.i dont know. He looks bored… many goos rallies at the net.. but the backhand was absent, footwork was not there the WILL is out of nowhere….

Anyone who uses adblock is a freeloader. I get the idea as there are plenty annoying ads. But when you’re reading your favourite articles over on tennis.com, they actually need that as revenue to keep producing free content. So it doesn’t seem very fair people block the ads, yet still consume the content for free 🙂

Hey Jonathan, I have family in the music industry so I know about freeloading. One can no longer make a living by selling records in a store. Music is “stolen” online all day long.

Someone here suggested I use adblock because I could no longer stream live tennis. Total porn would appear and impossible to get rid of. And the streaming was blocked by the porn. I don’t read tennis.com etc.

I had a dream that you ran a bar. I saw no beer but plenty of computer screens. Ha.
The match will be over by lunch but maybe coffee break I can see what’s up!

I’m assuming they own a shop? There is a difference between blocking ads and being wiped out by technology 😆 downloading was always going to replace physical CD’s. Profits in the music industry are actually higher than ever before thanks to streaming and downloading…

It started 12:30 in the morning and ive waited for this match.. can’t believe i slept in the whole 2nd set of the match and i woke up right for the last point where fed close the 2nd set(so i blame my soft couch)..

Anyways.. i think Fed started to raise his gear up in 3-1 of the 1st set.. love the net passing shot especially of his backhand… its kinda sloppy but well he manage to win in staright sets.. he needs to find his Will to fight or mybe bcoz of his cold… nevertheless despite of the first set I know that he will win no matter what…actually i want to have a very tight match coz that’s where his game really improve like in aus2017..

Dimitrov really improve a lot so Fed needs to be focus more… i hipe his cold will be wash out…

Thanks for the write up and your concern it’s not good timing but to watch the best & see history with records being surpassed each time it’s worth it!!
You are a great when your not wins are classics aside of AO 17 and 12 W, when talk comes to goats always 08 W, 09 AO & RG9 flash through my head first…more losses than wins because his play & all shown out there transcended the the score& result! Absolute class always!
As we all know Fed is emotional but in 09 he’d found out Mirka was having twins as Serena did so he even had to factor in a wedding in that monster year!
Hopefully he can push through a cold, and crap but hardening surface & Dimi!

Good Job by Roger, heading fresh and swiftly into week 2. Thats all that was required. I hear a lot of people pointing towards cold, here s hoping that 48 hrs of rest makes him feel better heading into the tougher opponents. Again, I ses the 2017 pattern being repeated at wimbledon i.e Federer not playing well/lights out in the earlier stages of the tournament but playing solid enough to get through (thanks to his serve).
I am expecting him to raise his level monday onwards and find his A game.
Wimbledon courts slow? I have a feeling they are but Miami and Indian Wells were far slower to me. And if its medium it gives him time on his backhand too!

I predicted the Big 4 to make it into the semis and given how the are progressing ai dont see anyone stopping them. Cilic beating Rafa? – that would be a big ask now. Anyone outside the Bug 4 to win the whole thing? Dont see that happening.

I am kinda enjoying wimbledon this year much more. Feel like our man has nothing to prove – win or lose, just hope he puts up a goof fight for the rest of the torunament and stays healthy ofcourse.

Good match for Fed. Scores look close, but the way the match was played maybe suggested a different story. Like some of you said, I saw that RF was annoyed playing this match…
Anyway, I think RF has to focus on his concentration in the first set because you cannot play like that vs the top players. You should not blow away a 4-1 lead… I am pretty confident that he can make the finals here. I am pretty sure he will be able to step up his game. Honestly, why is this court called a grass court? I mean it does no longer have the characteristics of a true grass court, and it seems to deteriorate way too quickly. I don’t believe that hot temperatures cause this. The weather in London isn’t really hot…

When Cash won in 87 it was dirt & they sprinkled grass clippings on it he said in a 30 year anniversary clip I saw, which was weird and he said played like clay!
This isn’t as bad, they rest it under air con, allow no practices & work at it . The court is a foe but more of a friend to Fed on balance!

I’m a little worried about his game at the moment. I dont see the return and backhand there at all to be honest. Just compare it to the scary level Nadal is playing at, and i can’t help but feel that things might not pan out the way we want them to.

TBH, don’t worry, Fed will step up his game. Nadal isn’t really scary for me. He hasn’t been that spectacular at all. We can’t confirm his level because he hasn’t played worthy opponents. His match vs Khachanov was pretty even in the 2nd and 3rd set. Remember, that this year Fed had scrappy matches but he was always able to adjust his game as the tournaments advanced.

When one is sick, everything looks to be a little off. Roger was able to hide it because I only found out from the interview and the reports. So, when someone is playing at 80% as supposed to 100%, of course he’ll look to be a bit annoyed, etc.

In terms of the court surface, we can either complain about or we can embrace it for what it is and try to enjoy at as much as we can and take it match by match.

I saw the matches and I saw plenty of aces, winners, etc. the courts do look worn out and even cooked in some areas so I am not sure if that has to do with the weather, or the fact that tournament was moved up a week.

In any case, it’s going to rain for the next couple of days and the conditions will be better for the grass itself in the 2nd week.

So let’s try to be more positive and see what happens. I still think that if Roger is at 100%, he can still win this tournament. It won’t be easy but it can be done.

Screw us all. Why do we complain so much about a less than perfect match? Yes, R looks annoyed from time to time. Yes, he botches easy balls. Yes, he misses MPs only to lose later. But many times he finds a way through. R is the goat not because he’s perfect but because he is imperfect, like you, me and the guy next door. And the fact that he achieved what he achieved only makes his goatness unreachable because it’s build on top of splendorous human imperfection. Get it? Let’s just enjoy.

I totally agree it’s almost as though we are never happy We all tend to forget that the guy on the other side of net has some say. Really I enjoyed the match, thought some of Fed’s reaction shots were subline. So I hope that tomorrow his cold will lighten up and he’ll be successful…would hate him to lose to Dimitrov! So C’mon Roger x

Not sure what you mean, Rui. Nobody is complaining about a less than perfect match. His body language suggested something may not have been right, that’s what I was concerned about. Turns out it was probably the cold, as someone said.

[R is the goat not because he’s perfect but because he is imperfect, like you, me and the guy next door]

That doest not compute. Nobody is perfect. People aren’t daft to realize that. R is the GOAT because he is the closest thing to perfection in tennis. And no, he is not like me, you, and most definitely not like the guy next door who doesn’t even know that you shouldn’t park your car in front of someone else’s garage. 🙂

Some observation: When Fed is pushed wide in Backhand and forehand he tends to dumps the ball to the nets or commit unforced errors. Sometimes, in the middle of the match his timing on the shots seems to be loose, his return game is still not top notch he should not have gone two tie breakers in second and third round. From now onward, all the faucets of his game needs to click, serve, back hand, fore hand, volley, defense and mental toughness, if he wants to win 8th Wimbledon shut the GOAT debate once and for all

H…ardly challenged ! Equanimous he was on a day sprinkled with glory.
E… ntertainingly serving and volleying in the same recital.
A-game as flavorsome as a strawberry smoothie ?
D… imitrov Grigor : “you cannot be (a) serious” rival !

C… onundrum : next round shouldn’t be one for the Wim’ contender
O…f the caliber which Mother Nature moulded Roger
L…et’s all bel19ve such an inopportune hay fever
D…oes mutate into one more magic Monday night fever !

If RF goes into his next match with the level he played against Mischa, then Dimitrov will have a chance. Sure Fed is not well, but I dont think the court is doing him any favor. Baseline to baseline I expect RF to miss a lot of BH because of the court and Dimitrov did well this year except on clay. So it will be really interesting to watch this match.

At this point, I dont think any of the Big 4 stands out which is a good thing. No one is running away with Wimbledon for now.

I was telling in an earlier post that I quite like this draw. I’ll explain why. Look, first, you have to expect meeting the top 4 in the SF and title match. Look at the two matches before that. Fed can either breeze through them, or he can fight his way. Dimitrov, and Raonic/Zverev are his next two opponents. If he gets past them, and I can tell you, he will be playing well enough to beat Djokovic.

That is why, just like the AO earlier this year, this is a progressively good draw.

People seem to be wound very tight about this tournament, worrying about the fact that he hasn’t been triple-bageling everyone, the state of the grass (which is, to be fair, not stellar), the draw, etc.

Keep it in perspective: Federer made the second week of Wimbledon without dropping a set, all the while playing his B to B+ game…that’s not a bad thing. He can’t bagel everyone and there’s no point peaking against journeymen.

This was the first match this tournament where I felt Federer played consistently solid the entire time (not amazing, just solid).

Zverev was in good form and Federer had to be on his game to win. It was really fun watching the old-school tennis, S&V, chip-charge, volley combos, tricky lobs and angles, slices, etc. That backhand drive volley passing shot was something else. Sadly, he didn’t break in that game, but it was still a great shot.

Looks like he got a lot of practice hitting those aggressive drive returns. Something he’ll need as he goes deeper into the tournament.

Hard to tell if his game is really clicking since he had to play so differently against a lefty S&V player than he would have against anyone else. But he executed well enough to win; the match was much less competitive than the score suggested. The one time Zverev actually had the chance to seize the lead, BP at 5-5 in the first set, Federer’s response was a swift ace. The rest of the time you felt he kept Zverev comfortably at arm’s length.

Dimitrov is a great player but he requires just a fraction more time on the ball than Federer. Federer’s a bit quicker on offense, he can consistently force the pace.

The fourth round is really the first serious test for Federer. I think he’ll do well.

I agree. The only nervous moment was the break point at 5:5. I’m so glad that he delivered an ace at that critical moment.

To me, these are the moments that will determine whether Roger can win it or not. I would much rather see that Roger doesn’t get in such situations but if he does, at least so far, he’s taking care of them with the help of his serve. So keep doing that. ?

People’s anxiety comes from the memory of Tsonga match hee a few years ago when everyone thought that Roger could coast through until the fifth set was called, he was broken and to the shockingly surprise, Roger could not step up to turn the tide! Personally, I don’t believe that could happen this Wimbledon. Agree that Roger must step up before danger is looming.

Indeed, Sue, high expectations are a curse. But Federer has never made any secret of the fact that he values this tournament above all others, that he plans his season in order to peak at Wimbledon, and that he usually expects to do well there, especially if he’s been playing well earlier in the season. So the pressure for Federer to perform well at the All-England Club is, to a large degree, self-imposed.

He knows how to handle the pressure and the hype; after all he defended this title four straight times as the world #1. I don’t think the pressure will get to him (it might get to us fans, though).

Hi everyone!, Does anyone know a good site where I could watch tomorrow’s federer match online. I don’t have cable and also I have a very poor internet connection, the streaming should be at least below 300p. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me or you Jonathan?

Blimey! Read all the comments! Whassup?? He hasn’t dropped a set, has had tricky opponents, and with a cold, has come thru unscathed! I wld rather he was scratchy in the 1st week. Hv you all forgotten the Noah Rubin and Melzer match?? Sticky was the word!! I really don’t care if all the cards in the pack aren’t quite shuffled yet! He is winning!

Dimitrov is Not a heavy weight and has no real power to blow Rog off court . I wld worry more if he were facing a power player. If he comes to net a lot he will win in straights. I wld like a few more aces tho, and free points on serve.
Dimitrov BH always wilts under pressure so has to attack it hard!
I hv watched every match live and he is def improving with each game! CC surface isn’t as bad as it looks on TV. Grass still there! And Fed finding his footing with each match. And his movement is great! Hv we all forgotten 2016??
Concentrate on the positives!

I’m glad Grigor’s in a better place now than he was 12 months ago. He seems alot happier on the court, allowing his game to flow more. Dani Vallverdu’s done a stirring job in a very short amount of time with him.
Fed v Dimi at Wimbledon is a matchup I’ve been looking forward to for a few years, especially now they’re both fit, healthy and feeling pretty good about themselves. I actually would quite like this to go 5, would be the most amazing match with shot making from out of this world!!
(Roger in the fifth 8-6)
Or am I asking for too much?

The big manic Monday is here.
For Roger, it just needs to make sure that he hassles Grigor all the time and takes his time away. Slicing won’t do and BH topspin is needed! He should take care of the business.
Allez!

Hey people, please chill and have no fear and read Steve’s and Sue’s comments 🙂
Six months without the Goat…. come on…. he is playing and NOT losing matches. He can’t be tripple bagling everyone right?? I don’t want him to go to 5 sets yet, but I don’t want him not to be tested too. He could have lost both TB to Lajovic and Zverev…. but he didn’t. He broke them, got broken back and then…. fixed it. What more can we ask for right now?? Like they said, he is improving with every match.

He WILL win Wimby 2017 in the final from Rafa. If anyone of you thinks Rafa will not be in the final….. no way…. the way he is playing…. who will beat him before the final. NOT Muzza for sure.

So….go Roger….very glad to see that you are not underestimating Dimi. Like you said, he was almost with you in the AO-Final. So…. Go Goat 🙂

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Hey, I’m Jonathan. I started up peRFect Tennis back in May 2011 because I wanted to be able to share my thoughts on Tennis, and on my favourite player Roger Federer.

I first took notice of Fed back in 2001 when he beat Sampras at Wimbledon. Back then, like most Brits I was a Henman fan, clinging onto the belief he could still win Wimbledon.In fact, I was actually glad Tim beat Roger at Wimbledon that year!

Ever since then though, I’ve followed Federer’s career closely, been lucky enough to see him play live on several occasions and now use this blog to analyse matches, make predictions, and share everything and anything Federer related.

If you want to learn abit more about peRFect tennis and what to expect from my blog, then head over to my about page.